hear the sirens call me home.

New sketchbook by Hand-Book. New watercolor tube set by Winsor&Newton (faves!) and some travel brushes of the Black Gold variety from Daniel Smith in Seattle, WA.
I've been trying to challenge myself more with me drawing because that is how I get better. I enjoy drawing animals, but I am not technical about it enough. They look kind of messy, most of the time, so I've been trying to clean them up and really look at the animal or bird I want to draw. While also making it my own in my own style.
Critique (helpful) and comment are greatly appreciated!

<3
Nat.

It's ribs our ceiling beams, it's guts our carpeting... I guess we have some time to kill.

http://www.nationalgeographicstock.com/
I used to use National Geographic magazines for references all of the time, but I haven't really thought about good ol' NatGeo in awhile. Today I went a bit crazy and decided to draw a bunch of birds and other creatures. I'm still working on them, so I will post them soon, but I thought I'd put up the link for the National Geographic stock photos archive.
Also, http://www.characterdesigns.com/ is great for working on anatomy for humans.
I have also been hitting up my book collection a lot more, lately, for reference material including The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds: The Definitive Reference a Barnes and Noble Book. Also Sarah Simblet's Anatomy for the Artist is a must have.

Be updating with artwork soon.

What are your favorite references?

Love,
Nat.

my father moved through the theys of we.

Saw my parents just this morning and the day before.
They took me to Daniel Smith (http://www.danielsmith.com/) in Seattle Washington.
I love that store.
Anyway, my father, who went to art school back in the 70s and used to draw all the time was one of my biggest inspirations to draw when I was wee. He hasn't had a proper sketchbook since before I can remember. Long story short, he finally got one again! So I drew him while he was drawing because I think it's awesome and I haven't seen him draw since I was in grade school.

We are a world of artists. We need to make the beauty we see in our minds. I have quit one of my part time jobs because I want to focus more on art-making. I am scared because I will barely/maybe not quite make rent next month if I don't find some other job soon. But it is in my nature. I need to have a job I like, at least, if not love. I can't do retail forever, because it is not my calling. It will be hard, but I hope to get involved in art as a career somehow.
I will keep you posted. *nervous*

Love, Nat.
I love you dad. Keep drawing.
And to Coriña at Daniel Smith: keep writing! and sketching will be easy sooner than you think!

tears like diamonds.

Jim Fuckin' Rockford a la Rockford Files. Winged giraffe roughly-based on album artwork I saw at a coffee shop (Aliviar) for a band called Gray Alice[?] I think. I will go back and find out for suresies. I forgot to write it down.
Almost Kevin (not quite.) and a ded tuth.
Drawings of girls in a Radio Cab note book... or "being bored at work".

<3
Nat.

this blog is not yet rated.

Meanderings in my sketchbook.
Pictured are Matt (bartender at one of most favorite bars ever.), Maker's Mark whiskey, and a coupla cute girls in dresses I want. Along with Charlotte, the spider, who lives above my parent's back door.
<3

P.S. Forgot to mention that Eddie is from Doug Tennapel's graphic novel Black Cherry. And Appa, is from Avatar:The Last Airbender.